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Dive Brief:

• Popeyes today, April 13, launched a collaboration with Toei Animation’s “One Piece,” according to details shared with Marketing Dive. The tie-up is the restaurant brand’s first anime collaboration.
• The collaboration includes an exclusive menu with items named after the Straw Hat Crew, a pirate crew in the anime series. In addition to limited-time items, the collaboration includes exclusive merchandise and a giveaway.
• The co-branded effort comes as quick-service restaurants increasingly rely on tapping into preexisting intellectual property to get consumers in the door. Additionally, anime has proven wildly popular with Gen Z consumers, a crucial demographic to the fast-food industry.

Dive Insight:

Popeyes, which is part of Restaurant Brands International, is looking to tap into the dedicated “One Piece” fandom in its play for Gen Z consumers. As competitors such as McDonald’s look to hit properties to engage consumers, Popeyes is turning to a long-running anime show. The Toei Animation production has over 1,000 episodes and has been on air since 1999.

“For “One Piece” fans, the story is about adventure, loyalty, and going all-in for the things you love. This energy perfectly aligns with Popeyes and comes to life throughout this partnership with Toei Animation,” said Popeyes CMO Matt Rubin in press materials.

The collaboration follows a similar format to others in the space, including limited-edition packaging. Consumers who purchase the bundle at select stores in New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Brunswick, New Jersey, will receive an official “One Piece” Bento box while supplies last. Those who don’t get a bento box can purchase merchandise such as keychains and t-shirts via a dedicated site starting April 15. The effort will be supported by paid media across social media, along with out-of-home placements targeted toward AnimeCon cities.

Anime has become a cornerstone of Gen Z culture, with 54% saying they are anime fans, according to Crunchyroll data. Many brands have leveraged the medium, with automotive manufacturer Acura releasing a whole show, “Type S: Chiaki’s Journey,” in 2023. More recently, Kikkoman released a series of anime-inspired spots as more Gen Z consumers cook at home.

“One Piece,” which centers around a group of pirates looking for its titular treasure, has long outgrown its TV roots, with 15 animated films and 13 TV specials, along with a trading card game. The series gained a new audience in 2023 when Netflix released a live-action version.

RBI saw a Q4 revenue of $2.47 billion, a 7.4% year-over-year increase, according to an earnings transcript. However, Popeyes saw U.S. comparable sales fall nearly 5% in the same quarter. The brand plans to focus on “restaurant-level execution” in 2026.